Tiptoe Through the Tulips
by Nova-chan
Summary: Is it just me, or does Gene have a thing for Finny's sister?
1. Chapter 1

NoV: The inspiration for this story came from watching the 2004 movie with the introduction of Finny's sister, whose name is Beth in the movie. I named her Clare Emily in my story for my favorite English teacher who inspired me to improve me writing. This story explores the relationship that Finny's sister could have had with Gene. This starts off with an exposition of Phineas' family, goes into actual dialogue from the movie (which is in _italics_) and then diverts from the next part of the book into an AU of my own. Enjoy!

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"Of course, you know the Nelsons, who live four houses down. Well, they are trying to organize a petition to ban gambling at the fall carnival that has been held at the park for the last eleven years. But, the money always goes to support the local churches and the orphanage. I think that exceptions should be made for gambling if it helps good causes and it's only once a year."

"Arnold Nelson will never drum up enough support for anything he puts his hands into. He's soon to become a public charge anyway."

"I wonder if Phineas will want to go to the carnival. He always enjoyed all the games when he was younger…..oh, isn't it wonderful to have the children home together! Just like old times!"

"Yes, but just look at what they've become! A drudge and a doll. Most people only have to deal with one, but we have both."

"Dear, please! What if they heard you?"

Phineas sighed. Seven o'clock in the morning and his parents were already awake downstairs and talking about him. He rolled over, trying to bury his head underneath a pillow to block out their voices.

"Oh, why can't they sleep until ten o'clock like everyone else?" he whined.

Across the hall, Clare Emily Pell(1) sat in her cushioned chair, staring into her vanity mirror. It seemed to her that her curls were losing the best of their bounce. But that was the price you paid when you let your hair grow down past your shoulders.

She too had been woken up by her parents' droll conversation. It didn't bother her that they called her a doll, so long as no one called her an old maid. It wouldn't be long though. She was a year older than her brother and he had already called on more girls than she had been called on herself.

Clare mostly blamed herself for this. She didn't know what she was looking for in a young man, but she knew she hadn't seen it in anyone yet.

Sighing in remembrance, she stood and straightened out the wrinkles in her dress. Giving herself one last look-over in the mirror, she declared herself presentable and left her bedroom.

Clare tapped lightly on her brother's door. "Phineas, are you awake?" she wondered.

Receiving a mumble in reply, she ventured onward into his bedroom. The only bits of Phineas that protruded from his blanket were his foot, wrapped in its cast on one end of the bed, and a little strand of hair on the other end.

"Fin," she said, putting a hand where she perceived his arm to be, "it's time to get up."

"Why?" came his response. "There's no school, no church, nothing to do today." Phineas' pillow wriggled with every word he formed.

"Exactly why you should get up and do something," she persisted. "If you don't start _moving_ around instead of _lying_ around in bed all day, you'll never get to walking on that leg again."

Finny tossed his pillow aside and glared at her. "I don't lie in bed all day," he protested.

"No," she said, rolling her eyes. "Just until noon, right?"

He gave her his infamous winning smile.

Clare turned to leave. "Don't you try to charm me, Phineas Alexander(2). Get up." She left the room with a sassy pivot.

Finny sighed. "Now I'll never get back to sleep."

--

Five minutes later, Phineas had given up his fight and decided to go ahead and get out of bed. He sat up a bit too quickly and seethed at the pain in his leg.

Slowly and with the help of his crutches, he rose to his feet. Deciding to go have a bath before breakfast, Finny made his way, hobbling over to the door.

Clare was waiting for him in the hallway. "Do you need me to help you get into the bath?" she offered.

Phineas scoffed at that. "Are you kooky?" he asked. "No, I don't need your help."

Clare said, "Well then, what about if I get one of the maids to help you out?"

Finny rolled his eyes heavily. "The last thing I need is for Martha or Nell to help me take a bath," he quipped. He continued on toward the bathroom.

Clare followed him, saying, "Well, you be careful! Besides that, the last thing you need is to slip and break your head open." Before leaving, she added with a teasing grin, "And just think how terribly a bloodstain would clash with the color of the room."

"Oh, very funny," Phineas said, but secretly decided to use that line on someone else later.

Clare descended the staircase gracefully and entered the dining room where her parents were discussing their plans for the day over breakfast.

"Good morning, Daddy," she said, kissing her father on the cheek.

James Pell was a tall, dark-haired man who worked in Boston as a banker. He was known for two things: his keen business sense and his lack of social skills.

"Good morning, dear," Clare's mother greeted her warmly, giving her daughter a tight hug.

Adora Pell, unlike her husband, was short and had light brown hair. She was widely known as one of the town gossips, but never took this position too seriously.

Gazing up at the staircase, Mrs. Pell asked, "Is Phineas awake yet?"

"Yes he is," Clare answered, spreading blackberry jam onto a piece of toast. "He's taking a bath."

James sighed. "That boy takes more baths than anyone I've even seen."

"Well, honey," Adora replied, softly, "it may be difficult to keep his leg clean with that cast."

Her husband picked up the newspaper and thumbed through it mechanically. "I'll be dancing for joy when he's out of my hair and back at that school."

"So, where are you two off to today?" Clare asked, noticing that her parents were already dressed and ready for the day.

"Your father is driving me to Columbus City today," Adora responded. "My cousin, Susan, has asked me to come take some peaches off her hands. They've had the biggest yield in years, she said."

"Oh, I can't wait!" Clare exclaimed. "Susan always has the best peaches."

"Does anyone need fresh coffee?" Martha, one of the housekeepers asked, carrying a pitcher.

"I'll have a cup, thank you," James replied.

"So dear, please watch over your brother until we get home," Adora mentioned to Clare. "You know how he gets."

--

Phineas lay on his back in the spacious tub in the well-furnished bathroom. His broken leg rested on the rim of the tub away from the water and the lily-scented bubbles(3) that covered him up to his neck. If only the guys could see him now! He would never again be Finny, the fun-loving athlete. He'd be Finny, the bubble bath-loving fruit. He had greatly missed his bubble baths at Devon where there had been only showers. Everything there was so fast, so final, so uniform. Showers, meals, classes, sleep, everything was timed. At home, as long as Clare wasn't nagging him, Finny was able to do everything at his own pace. That gave him more free time than he had had since he was a kid.

And it was throwing his whole world off-balance.

--

1. Pell is the last name given to Finny in the movie.

2. Phineas Alexander: why not?

3. My brother informed me that men do not take bubble baths. He said that that would be too pansy for Finny. But, wouldn't it be cute? I could not help myself, forgive me.

NoV: Okay, that's sort of a little intro. The next chapter is where Gene visits, straight out of the book. Let me know if you like it, and I'll post some more soon!

Gimme an R! Gimme an E! Gimme a V! Gimme an X…..I mean I! Gimme another E! Gimme a W! What's that spell? REVIEW!

(Sorry, used to be a cheerleader. .)


	2. Chapter 2

NoV: Ok, sorry for the wait! After watching 80 episodes of the three stooges (dies), I am confident in my ability to write about the 1940's. (dances) Here's chapter two! 

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Clare was busy hemming her new dress when she heard the heavy thudding of Phineas' crutches coming downstairs. "Fin, be careful!" she instructed, not moving from the sofa.

"Yeah, yeah," he replied, making it safely to the bottom of the stairs. He looked around, then asked, "Where are Mom and Dad?"

Clare set her pink dress aside. "They went to get some peaches from Susan's farm. They're supposed to be back at dinner."

Phineas stood on his good leg next to the antique couch. "Let's go do something today, Clare," he suggested. "The air in this house is starting to choke me."

Clare sighed and looked at him. "And just what do you propose we do?" she wondered.

Finny thought for a minute while Clare took up her sewing again. "What about your friend Alice, who lives next to the elementary school?" he said, sitting next to her. "You know, the pretty blond?" He smiled at the thought. "I'm sure she'd love to take a walk to the movie theater with me---I mean us."

Clare giggled. "For one thing, Alice is now married and no longer lives next to the elementary school. For another thing, it looks like it's going to rain. And for a final thing, I promised Mom and Dad that I wouldn't let you get into trouble."

"Oh, there's nothing to do!" Finny wailed, falling dramatically across the arm of the couch.

"Would you like me to teach you how to sew?" Clare suggested.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous," Finny replied.

"Why don't you listen to the radio, or watch television, or read a book or eat some breakfast?" Clare asked, exasperated. "Go and bother someone else."

"Believe me," Finny said, "if there were someone else to bother, I would."

--

At around two o'clock in the evening, the doorbell rang. Clare was entranced into her favorite radio soap opera in the den at the moment, so Nell, the other maid, answered the door.

As soon as her program ended, Clare ventured into the living room to find out who the visitor had been. She found him still there, in a heated conversation with Phineas. He was a young man with brown hair and a troubled face.

"_You must be Gene_," she guessed. He looked up at her, not realizing that another person was in the room. Clare looked at Finny, who appeared rather upset and wouldn't look at either of them. "_Fin's always talking about you_," she told Gene. Sensing the hostility in the air, she wondered, "_You asked Gene to stay for supper, didn't you Fin_?"

Gene couldn't help noticing how beautiful this young lady looked. She was like a piece of the beautiful house, like a walking talking doll. Since Finny wasn't going to answer her, Gene politely said, "_Oh, thank you, but I've gotta get back to school_." He of course didn't have to return to Devon for another day, but he had no intention of overstaying his welcome. Plus, Finny probably didn't want him around at the moment. "_I just came to see how he's doing and everything_."

Clare laughed and stood beside Gene. "_Him? Oh, he's up to his usual tricks_," she said.

"_Well, that's good_," Gene added, not knowing what else to say.

"_Bye, buddy, see you soon_," Finny coldly said, not looking away from the wall.

Gene longed to make amends with Phineas, but didn't want Clare to know that anything was wrong. "_Soon, really_?" he wondered.

"_As soon as possible. Imagine having a nice, peaceful house again_," Clare laughed. "_He's driving us all crazy_." She wasn't sure why Finny was so upset by Gene coming over. He normally enjoyed visitors.

"_Yeah, he can do that_," Gene said. "_Well, don't send him back too soon. I need the rest_."

Gene smiled at Clare and left the room. Clare followed him into the foyer. She was determined to fix whatever was going on between Gene and her brother. Plus, she wanted to get to know Finny's cute friend from school a little better.

"Listen, Gene," she said once they were out of Finny's earshot. "You really should stay for dinner, I insist."

"Oh, well—" Gene began.

"You should have a nice, hot meal before you have to take that long train ride," she said.

"Well, all right," Gene consented. He found that he couldn't say no to Finny's enchanting sister. He didn't know whether it was because she was so beautiful or because she too had Finny's characteristic skill of talking people into things.

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NoV: OK, whadya think? The text in italics, I took directly from the 2004 movie. Review!


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